
Qass. 
Book. 



THE 

MISSIONARY PIONEER, 

OR 

A BRIEF MEMOIR 

OF TH£ 

I^ZrSi X1A8OVXLS, AND BXSAXS 

OF 

JOHN STEWART, (MAN OF COLOUR,) 
FOUNDER, UNDER GOD 

OF 

THE MISSION AMONG THE WYANDOTTS AT UPPE^ 
SANDUSKY, OHIO. 



PUBLISHED BY JOSEPH MITCHELL^ 



■V. ^J» 



Printed by j. c* Toiyrfi^ , , ,. 

JVo. 9 Bowery. ' 'Ifr^- 



1827. 

4r 



[_-- 







Southern District of JVew.York, ss. 
BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the 
L twenty-first day of June, A. D. 1827, in 
Itbe fifty-first year of the Independence of 
the United States of America, John Co 
Totten, of the said District, hath deposit- 
ed in this office the title of a book, the right whereof be 
claims as proprietor, in the words following, to wit : 

^ The Missionary Pioneer, or a Brief Memoir 
of the Life, Labours, and Death of John Stewart^ 
(man of colour,) Founder, under God, of the 
Mission among the Wyandotts at Upper San^ 
dusky, Ohio. Published hy Joseph Mitchell' 

In conformity to the Act of Congress of the United 
States, entitled "An Act for the encouragement of 
Learning, by securing the copies of Maps,^ Charts and 
Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, 
during the time therein mentioned." And also to an 
Act, entitled " An Act, supplementary to an Act, entitled 
an Act for the encouragement of Learning, by securing 
the copies of Maps, Charts and Books, to the authors and 
proprietors of such copies, during the times therein men- 
tioned, and extending the benefits thereof to the ai*ts of 
designing, engraving, and etching hiistorical and other 

^ '" * FREDERICK I. BETTS, 

Clerk oftht Southern District of J^ew-YoTh 



Spnngjieldy(0.) May 28, 1827, 
Reverend Sir — 

Agreeably to your request, I offer you my 
opinion of the brief memoir of the life and 
labours of John Stewart, which you are about 
to publish. Having myself been the first to 
issist Stewart in Missionary labo^jirs among 
the Wyandotts, I became acquainted with 
him, and with the concerns of the then infant 
and unorganised mission, early in February, 
1819; and my acquaintance with Stewart 
was uninterrupted, nearly to the period of 
his death. I have consequently had a tolera- 
ble opportunity of being acquainted with the 
circumstances detailed in your little work, 
and from personal knowledge and authentic 
information, I consider the memoir of Stew- 
art, in all particulars, as entitled to full credit. 

In my opinion it is due to the Christian 
public, to give them some account of the life 
and labours of this faithful Missionary Fioneei\ 
and I am gratified to find you are about to 



publish something on the subject. I have 
s^lso received letters from Messrs Isaac and 
William Walker, expressing their entire ap- 
probation of your undertaking, and inform- 
ing me that the Chiefs, John Hicks and 
Thomas Manoncue wish to be known as de- 
cidedly approving your publication, the object 
and contents of which were made known to 
ihem by Mr. Walker* 

I am, &C. 

MOSES M. HENKLE. 
jlET. Joseph Mitghei^l. 



PRXSFACIU 



As the preface of a book is very seldom 
read, especially if it be of any considerable 
length, it shall be an object to make this as 
brief as can be justified by the nature of the 
incidents detailed in this narrative. 

In the striking circumstances of John Stew- 
art's missionary call, and in the success of 
his labours, there is evident the hand of a spe- 
cial Providence, which must be interesting to 
the Christian commonwealth ; and those cir- 
cumstances belong to them of right. Where- 
ever it is known that this humble African, 
has been, under God, the founder of what is 
now, perhaps, the most prosperous missionary 
establishment on this continent ; a more par- 
ticular account of his history and labours has 
been demanded. And since he has been 
taken from labour to revmrd, this call has be^ 
come more general and pressing. For seve- 
ral years past, some of the most distinguished 
1* 



Vi 

Christians and Christian Ministers in the 
United States, have earnestly requested those, 
whose former connexion with the mission, 
gave them the best means of information, to 
furnish the public with the early history of 
the Wyandott Mission, and of Stewart its 
founder. This, for several reasons has never 
laeen done. And one cause of its delay has 
been an expectation, fairly authorised, that 
such a history would, long since, have been 
given to the public from another quarter. 
But as reasonable expectation has been so 
long disappointed, as the facts of this narra- 
tive have only lived in the recollection of a 
few individuals, thus far, and as delay must 
soon have consigned those interesting facts 
to oblivion, it is deemed a duty now to rescue 
those which yet remain, from that fate, by 
giving them to the world in a more perma- 
nent form. The Editor has however to re- 
gret the existence of several circumstances 
which must prevent this work from being 
either as full or as interesting as could be 
wished. Among these are the following : 
several persons from whom doubtless much 



VII 

information might have been obtained, have 
already exchanged this hfe for eternal reali- 
ties, and the time allowed for collecting and 
arranging the materials for this little work 
has been so very limited as to render it im- 
possible to collect all the facts and anecdotes 
of interest, which are yet attainable, relative 
to the subject of this brief memoir. It is 
confidently believed, that should another edi- 
tion of this narrative be called for, it will be 
in the power of the Editor to render it more 
acceptable than this, by the addition of much 
valuable matter, which he will be enabled to 
collect. 

The incidents recorded in this memoir 
may be relied on as substantially correct, as 
they were collected and arranged by WilHam 
Walker, who resided in the Wyandott Nation 
at the time of Stewart's first visiting them, and 
does to the present. His opportunities con- 
sequently have been peculiarly favourable to 
the purposes of acquiring correct informa- 
tion, and therefore most of what he records 
is from personal knowledge. And as his 
character for veracity is entirely unimpeacha- 



VlU 

ble, his narrative is entitled to the fullest credit. 
What he has gathered from others has been 
collected from those who were most intimate- 
ly acquainted with Stewart, and with the con- 
cerns of the mission in its infancy, and who 
only detailed to him such facts as had fallen 
under their own observation, or were certain- 
ly known to them. 

It will be readily seen by the reader, that 
this litde memoir is not intended as the pan- 
egyric of its pious subject ; but merely as a 
record of interesting incidents, in which he 
had a prominent agency. Eulogy on his vir- 
tues is not needed ; for Heaven has awarded 
him a more substantial and enduring inheri- 
tance. And though on earth his lot was one 
of poverty, persecution, and extreme adversity, 
the patience and resignation of Christianity 
bore him above the waves. And though un- 
marked by a stone, his ashes obscurely re- 
pose in the wilderness, we doubt not, his vir- 
tues and his name stands registered in the 
Lamb's Book of everlasting life. 

JOSEPH MITCHELL. 

May 28th, 1827. 



MaSSZOMARir rtONZSERi 



The subject of the following Memoir, was 
born and lived in Powhatan County, State of 
Virginia, until he arrived at the age of about 
twenty-one years. His parents were free, 
and members of the Baptist Church ; but 
John was a careless sinner. In this situation 
he was, when about four years afterwards, he 
was robbed of all his property while on his 
way from Virginia to Marietta, in the State of 
Ohio. This circumstance brought him to 
reflect seriously on the state of his soul ; but 
grief and vexation prevailed over hope and 
patience. The loss of his property, the dis- 
tance from his friends, the idea of poverty and 
disgrace, together with the wretched situation 
of his mipd on account of his souPs afiairs, 
brought him to the shocking determination 
that he would immediately take measures to 
hasten his dissolution. And for this purpose 



10 

he forthwith commenced a course of exces- 
sive drinking at a public house, which was 
continued until his nerves became much af- 
fected, his hands trembling so, that it was 
with difficulty he could feed himself. In this 
practice and condition he remained for a con- 
siderable length of time, still fixed in the de- 
termination to destroy his life, and precipi- 
tate himself into ruin. His mischievous de- 
sign was at length frustrated by his landlord, 
who discovered his intention and withheld 
spirituous liquors from him. This measure 
brought him more deliberately to reflect on 
his miserable condition, when a view of the 
awful state of his soul compelled him to cry 
out, " Oh ! wretched man that 1 am, who 
shall deliver me," &c. It was at this time 
that he passed in his mind the inquiry, which 
would give the least pain to his father's family, 
to hear that without property he was honestly 
striving to make his way through life, or that 
by intemperance he had hurried himself to an 
untimely grave. The result was, he resolved 
to abandon the service of " the wicked one," 
and cast himself upon the mercy of God, for 



n 

support and salvation. He then "joined 
himself to a citizen of the place," (Marietta, 
Ohio, where he then was,) to assist in making 
sugar, a distance from town, in the woods. 
This situation afforded him a good opportu- 
nity for reading, meditation, prayer, and 
seeking the Lord in private. Soon, however, 
he had to quit his sequestered state and re- 
turn to town, where, contrary to the most 
solemn vows and promises, which he had 
previously made to forsake sin and seek the 
Lord, he united with others in shameful acts 
of night revellings, which instead of affording 
relief to his " wounded spirit," only produ- 
ced (in the moment of retirement and reflec- 
tion) greater grief and distress. An occur- 
rence here took place which much alarmed 
him : an intimate companion of his, was sud- 
denly called by death from time to eternity. 
With this individual he had made an appoint- 
ment to spend one more night in sin ; but 
death interfered and disappointed them both. 
Stewart's convictions of mind were thereupon 
greatly increased, and he began to despair of 
ever obtaining mercy at the hand of the Lord. 



One day while wandering along the batiks of 
the Ohio, bewailing his wretched and undone 
condition, the arch enemy of souls suggested 
to him a remedy ; which was to terminate 
the miseries he endured, by leaping into the 
deep, and thereby putting an end to his ex- 
istence. To this suggestion, he at first felt a 
disposition to yield ; but his attention was ar- 
rested by a voice, which as he thought, dialled 
him by name, when on looking around he 
could see no person, whereupon he desisted 
from the further prosecution of the desperate 
project. He then resolved to make another 
effort to seek mercy and pardon at the hand 
of God. Having hired a house for the pur- 
pose of carrying on his trade, (the blue dying 
business,) he had another opportunity of be- 
ing much alone, which privilege he improved 
in seeking the Lord " carefully with tears.'* 
The more he exercised himself in medita- 
tion and prayer, the more was he impressed 
with a sense of his guilt. He now saw no 
way for him to escape the wrath to come— 
lie felt that he deserved to be driven from the 
presence of the Most High into " outer daek- 



13 

ness.'^ It was then that he was enabled to 
cast himself at the foot of the cross, and to 
lay hold by faith on the Saviour of sinners as 
his last and only refuge, crying " Lord save 
or 1 perish !" Then it was that the Lord 
was pleased to reveal his mercy and pardon- 
ing love to his fainting soul, causing him to 
burst forth from his closet in raptures of un- 
speakable joy. declaring what the Lord had 
done for his poor soul. He now could truly say, 

" Jesus all the day long^ 
, Is my joy and my song." 

He could then rejoice in the Lord from a 
sense of the " love of God being shed abroad 
in his heart by the Holy Ghost," &c. There 
being no Baptist church near, he did not join 
himself to any religious Society. — In his 
youth he had imbibed strong prejudices 
against other denominations, particularly the 
Methodists, of whom he had a contemptible 
opinion.- Thus, slighting and neglecting the 
duties of the temple, it will not be surprising 
to hear that he soon neglected those of the 



14. 

closet also, which soon resulted in a dead 
and barren state of souL He now began 
again to feel the pains and miseries from 
which the Lord had so recently delivered 
him. Whereupon he began to doubt the 
reality or genuineness of his conversion, and 
this appears to have resulted from his belief 
of a doctrine in which he had been educated, 
namely "once in grace always in grace." 
In this situation he remained for some 
time, bewailing his wretched case, when, as 
he walked out one evening he heard the 
sound of singing and praying proceed from a 
house at no great distance. It proved to be 
a Methodist prayer meeting. His prejudice 
at first forbade his going in ; but curiosity 
prompted him to venture a litde nearer, and 
at length he resolved to enter and make known 
his case, which he did to the few who were 
in attendance. Here he was encouraged to 
seek with all his heart the last blessing. Soon 
after this he attended a Camp-Meeting, where 
he remained for sometime with a heavy heart, 
and disconsolate mind. He at length resol» 
t^ed to distinguish himself by taking a place 



15 

among the mourners of the assembly, where 
he lay deploring his case all night, even until 
the break of day, at which time " the sun of 
righteousness'' broke into his dark bewildered 
soul. Peace, and "joy in the Holy Ghost?* 
now succeeded, and he could shoot " glory 
to God in the highest," with " the morning 
stars" that witnessed his deliverance. Nat 
until then were the deep rooted prejudices 
against the people called Methodists removed 
from his mind. It was then that he united him- 
self to the people whom he had formerly held 
in the greatest contempt — took their people 
to be his people, and their God to be his God. 
For the space of three months he went on 
bis way rejoicing, prosperously labouring for 
body and soul. About this time, being on© 
evening at private devotion, suddenly he 
heard a sound which much alarmed him : 
and a voice (as he thought) said to him— 
" Thou shah declare my counsel faithfully ;" 
at the same time a view appeared to open to 
him in a Northwest direction, and a strong 
impression was made on bis mind, that he 
must s;o out that course into the world to de»^ 



16 

dare the counsel of God. This singular 
event gave him much uneasiness and exer- 
cise of mind, and having mentioned the mat- 
ter to a friend, he received an explanation 
which greatly increased his concern ; for it 
was intimated that he might expect to be 
called upon to go abroad and preach the 
gospel which to him was an afflicting consid- 
eration, having never before entertained a 
thought of such an undertaking. Judging 
himself entirely unqualified for such a work, 
he determined to avoid it if possible, and ac- 
cordingly made ready to follow his friends to 
the State of Tennessee. He was, however, 
prevented from taking this step by a severe 
illness, in which his life was despaired of. He 
still fancied he heard sounding in his ears the 
voice above mentioned, and the same impres- 
sion continued with respect to his travelling 
to the Northwest. At length he resolved, 
that if it should please the Lord to spare his 
life, andf estore him to health again, he would 
go out that course and see where he should 
be conducted, although he feared he should 
he killed by the first Indians he should meet 



11 

with. He was restored to health, and a<i» 
cording to the determination he had entered 
into before his God, he set out without ere* 
dentials, directions of the way, money or 
bread, crossed the Muskingum River for the 
first time, and travelled a northwest course, 
" not knowing whither he went." As he 
proceeded he was met by sundry persons, 
who, having learned something of the nature 
of his undertaking, strove in vain to dissuade 
him from the pursuit. He urged on his way, 
keeping about the same course, which he was 
frequently informed would lead him into the 
Indian country on the Sandusky river, some- 
times with, and sometimes without a road, 
without a pilot, without fireworks, sometimes 
wading the waters and breaking the ice.— 
Meeting with some Indians who appeared 
friendly, he was by them conducted and in- 
troduced to the tribe of Delawares at Pipe- 
Town, on the Sandusky river. On entering 
the village, he was conducted to one of the 
Indian cabins and seated. Here he endea- 
voured to enter into conversation, but foaodl 
they understood but little of his language* 



IS 

As they contemplated having a dance that 
day, and were not to be diverted from it by 
the arrival of the stranger, they commenced 
their exercise by one singing and the rest 
dancing, which actions produced some fears 
in him that they were about to kill him. In 
this however, his fears were groundless : they 
soon desisted from their exercise ; he then 
took out his hymn book and sung a hymn, 
during which time there was a profound si- 
lence. When he had ceased singing, one 
spoke in English and said, '* Sing more," he 
then sung again, and asked for an interpreter; 
in a short time one was produced (an old 
Delaware, named Lyons,) the Indians placed 
themselves in a position to hear, and he de- 
livered to them a speech. On this occasion 
the Indians appeared attentive, and at the 
close a kind of entertainment was provided 
and he reposed, fully believing that he had 
now accomplished the design of his little and 
singular mission, intending on the next day 
to return towards Marietta, from thence to 
prosecute his journey after his friends to the 
State of Tennessee. But to his great sur- 



19 

prise, on the next morning he still felt strong 
impressions of mind to pursue his journey to 
the Northwest. 

Under the influence of this impression he 
prepared to depart from the village ; but was 
requested to continue that day with them ; to 
this he objected, saying that his business was 
urgent and did not admit of his staying longer 
with them, whereupon with tears he bid them 
adieu and departed. Having found amongst 
these people so much friendship and hospi- 
tality, " he thanked God and took courage." 
And having received directions concerning 
the way, he proceeded towards Upper San- 
dusky, where he soon arrived, and called at 
the house of Mr. William Walker, who at 
that time was sub- agent amongst the Indians. 
Mr. Walker, suspecting him to be a runaway 
slave, interrogated him closely. Stewart re- 
lated his experience and the singular impres- 
sions of mind under which he was conducted 
thither. Mr. Walker being fully satisfied, 
gave him encouragement, and directed him 
to the house of Jonathan Pointer, a black 
man, who in his youth had been taken pri° 



20 

soner by the Wyandotts, and had learned to 
speak the tongue of the nation fluently. He 
soon arrived at Jonathan's house, and obtained 
an interview with him. — With his company 
and conversation, Jonathan was not very well 
pleased, and consequently gave evasive and 
unsatisfactory answers to the inquiries made 
respecting the Wyandotts. Stewart asked 
him whether it would be convenient to have 
the Indians collected together for the purposd 
of preaching to them. To which Jonathan 
replied, that it would be of no use for him to 
attempt to make Christians of them ; because 
many great and learned men of different de- 
nominations had attempted it in vain, and 
that it certainly would answer no good pur- 
pose for him to attempt any thing of the kind. 
Our Missionary, however, was not to be di- 
verted from his purpose without making the 
attempt : believing as he did that the Great 
Head of the Church had entrusted him with 
a special message to this people. Jonathan 
was at the same time preparing to go to a 
feast which was to be held in the neighbour- 
hood on that day, Stewart asked leave to 



21 

accompany him : to this Jonathan reluctantly 
consented. When they arrived at the place 
appointed for the feast, they found a large 
number of Indians collected and dancing. — 
The feast and dance were conducted with the 
usual mirth and hilarity. At the close of 
the ceremonies he asked permission to make 
a speech to them on the occasion, which was 
granted. He then for the first time addressed 
a Wyandott assembly, through Jonathan, who 
officiated in the capacity of interpreter, and 
valued himself highly on account of his elo- 
quence in the Wyandott tongue. During the 
time of the discourse, a profound silence pre- 
vailed in the whole assembly. At the close, 
Stewart told them he had one request to make 
of them, which was, that if they entertained 
feelings of friendship towards him, they would 
signify it by giving him their hands. Where- 
upon an old Chief, named Two Logs, or 
Bloody Eyes, rose up and addressing the as- 
sembly said, it would be perfectly correct for 
them to manifest friendship to him, especially 
as he was a stranger, it would but be in con- 
formity to their established rules of hospitality. 



They all then gave the proposed mark of 
friendship ; and after making an appointment 
to preach at Jonathan's house, they dispersed. 
Pursuant to appointment, a goodly number 
met, and Stewart addressed them on the sub- 
ject of striving " to flee from the wrath to 
come." This was in the month of Novem- 
ber, A. D. 1816. The doctrine of repent- 
ance was not well received by Jonathan, (who 
at this time and afterwards acted as Stewart's 
interpreter,) and supposing as he did, that 
the congregation would be of the same mind, 
he would sometimes, whilst interpreting, after 
stating the substance of Stewart's discourse, 
add and say, " so he says, 1 do not know 
whether it is so or not, nor do I care j all I 
care about is to interpret faithfully what he 
says, to you ; you must not think that I care 
whether you believe it or not." From these 
and such like expressions, it was ascertained 
that Jonathan, so far from embracing the doc- 
trines taught by Stewart, would not have the 
Wyandotts even suspect that he took any in- 
terest in\the matter. Notwithstanding the 
doubtful manner in which Jonathan spake of 



the doctrines, the word was not without its 
good effects amongst the Wyandotts ; for 
many were soon convinced of their lost and 
undone condition, and began earnestly to in- 
quire the way of salvation, calling upon God 
for mercy. Stewart then directed his atten- 
tion more particularly to the situation of his 
interpreter, (who was ignorant, wicked and 
proud,) but without much apparent success 
for the present. 

It was not long however, before Jonathan 
became a hopeful subject of the gracious 
work, so that, what was at first done by him 
partly from a principle of pride and vain 
glory, now became a pleasant' work, from a 
principle of love and good will towards his 
fellow beings. 

It is true, some of Jonathan's subsequent 
conduct has been such as to cause some of 
his acquaintances to doubt the reality of his 
conversion ; yet perhaps it is but justly due to 
him, to suppose that he has been at least in 
some degree under gracious influence. It 
was not long before some difficulties occur- 
red ; yet no serious injury was done to the 



24 

good work. A few white traders who had 
been permitted by the Officers of the Indiati 
department to settle amongst and trade with 
the Indians, having heard Stewart preach, 
either from a real suspicion which they enter- 
tained that he was a runaway slave and an 
imposter, or from malicious principles, advi- 
sed the Indians to drive him out the country ; 
stating that he was not a licensed preacher ; 
but a runaway slave, a villain, &c. and that 
he had only come among them for protection* 
This was readily beheved by many, and pro- 
duced some dissatisfaction amongst the Wy- 
andotts. His usefulness amongst them was 
now in a fair way to be much abridged ; for 
although the advice of the traders was not 
actually carried into effect by the Chiefs ; yet 
their disposition towards him was visibly 
changed. Finding himself thus situated, he 
appeared before Mr. Walker, the sub-agent, 
and informed him of the dissatisfaction of the 
Indians with regard to him, occasioned by 
the misrepresentations of those traders, and 
that he feared the Chiefs would, under their 
advice, drive him out of their country, Mr, 



•c»r» 



Walker informed him, that that was his pre» 
rogative, and that he need give himself no 
uneasiness from that quarter ; and moreover, 
advised him to pay no attention to what those 
traders might say, but to go on and preach 
the Gospel faithfully, and that if the Indians 
should in future, manifest any dissatisfaction 
on account of his continuance amongst them, 
to refer them to him, and he would satisfy 
them, and stand between him and all harm, 
whilst he should continue to demean himself 
in a christian-like manner. 

Having received such assurances of pat" 
i'onage and protection from a competent 
source, he departed much encouraged, and 
resolved through grace, to be more than ever 
devoted to the good work, to which he had 
been called. During this time of trial, Jona- 
than remained faithful to his friend. A prin- 
cipal part of those people, having been mem- 
bers of the Roman Catholic Church, and 
partially instructed in those doctrines, Stew- 
art had many difticulties to encounter whilst 
endeavouring to convince them of the impro- 
priety of worshipping the Virgin Mary, Saints 
3 



and Angels. Many being under a deep con- 
cern on account of their souls, would come 
to the place of worship with their long ne- 
glected Rosaries suspended around their 
necks, and in time of public prayer, would 
repeat their almost forgotten Romish forms 
with much apparent sincerity and engaged- 
ness. They also began to re-Iearn their old 
Romish hymns, many of which had been ne- 
glected and forgotten. Finding that Stewart 
taught doctrines so different from those which 
they had learned from the Romish Priest, 
they concluded that he did not preach from a 
genuine Bible, or at least that there must be 
a discrepancy between his Bible and that used 
by the Priests, and that consequently it must 
be wrong for them to hear or encourage him, 
as the doctrines taught by him was heresy. — 
These and such like notions were put into 
circulation by those of the Wyandotts, who 
were then regular members of the Roman 
Catholic Church, which had considerable in- 
fluence on the minds of many, who at this 
time were under awakenings. A difference 
of opinion however, prevailed amongst them : 



27 

while some said he was a good man, others 
said nay, he teacheth a new and false doc- 
trine, and therefore cannot be a good man. 
Some of the principal men went to Mr. 
Walker, the sub-agent, for the purpose of 
hearing his opinion concerning this man and 
his doctrines, an^ whether his Bible was re- 
ally the word of God. He without hesitancy 
gave them his opinion, and endeavoured to 
remove from their minds their groundless 
fears. In order the more effectually to ac- 
complish this, he appointed a day when he 
would summon Stewart to appear before him, 
for the purpose of examining his books in 
their presence. Accordingly on the day ap- 
pointed, Stewart appeared before Mr. Walker 
and the Chiefs, bringing with him his books. 
Many also who had embraced the new reli- 
gion attended, feeling a deep interest in the 
decision of the Agent. While he was exam- 
ining Stewart's Bible and Hymn book, a 
profound silence prevailed. The poor Chris- 
tian prosolytes gazed with deep anxiety on 
the examiner, to whom it was referred to de- 
cide the important question, whilst the ene- 



28 

mies of the cause were not less anxious. Am 
length, Mr. Walker having closed the exam- 
ination, called the attention of the assembly : 
all was attention. He informed them that be 
had carefully examined Stewart's Bible, and 
found it to be, as he believed the word of 
God, and that it most certainly was, the same 
kind of those used by the Roman PriestSj 
with only this difference,* that those were in 
Latin, and Stewart's was English. And as 
for Stewart's Hymn book, he said the hymns 
and spiritual songs it mntninfid wftre certainly 
good, that the subjects were taken from the 
Bible and breathed the Spirit of rehgion. — 
He therefore pronounced the Bible and Hymn 
book to be genuine and good. A visible 
change appeared in the very countenances of 
the Christian part of the assembly. New 
spirits appeared to' enliven their hearts, and 
joy to spring up in their souls on account of 
the decision in favour of the books. All this 
time our sable Missionary set calm and tran- 
quil, eyeing the assembly most affectionately. 
The next objection raised against him, was, 
that he had no written permission to preach^ 



fl9 

This difficulty was obviated by Mr Walker, 
by asking thera whether they knew of his 
having performed the rite of matrimony or 
baptism 5 they answered that they did not. 
He then informed them that he thought there 
was no violation of law ; and nntil it could 
be proven that he had performed the mar- 
riage ceremony, or baptized, no valid objec* 
tion could be brought against him for endea- 
vouring to persuade sinners to serve God and 
save their souls ; for, said he, " any man has 
a right to talk about religion, and try to get 
others to embrace it." He then dismissed, 
the assembly, and when they departed, like 
the Jews of Rome, " they had great reason- 
ing amongst themselves." 

We shall here take occasion to notice some 
of the dialogues which took place during the 
first winter of this mission, as well as bring 
into view some of the leading characters, who 
were active, either for or against the cause ; 
as the arguments on different subjects, used 
on both sides of the question, will, it is be- 
lieved, be somewhat interesting to the reader. 
We shall, however, first state that after the 
3^ 



30 

decision above mentioned, nothing worthy of 
notice took place for some time, except that 
Stewart continued, without interruption, to 
teach the way of eternal life, to a quite serious 
and attentive congregation. All this time, 
however, he had left untouched their absurd 
notions respecting the powers of magicians, 
witches, feasts, dances, and many other ridi- 
culous ceremonies, which had been handed 
down to them by their ancestors, from gene- 
ration to generation. Many, although awaken- 
ed to a sense of their lost estate, were so 
attached to their old customs and modes of 
worship, that they found it hard to renounce 
them, although they were seriously told that 
if they wished to become the followers of the 
Lord Jesus Christ, they must abandon them 
all, and cast themselves on him as their only 
and last refuge. 

At a certain meeting, Stewart, in the course 
of his sermon, made some pointed remarks 
against their old system of heathenism, and 
added, that instead of their mode of worship 
being pleasing to the Lord, it was on the con- 
tv^ij, displeasing to him, and that although 



^1 

JB the time of their ignorance, God winked 
at their conduct 5 yet now, the gospel having 
reached them, and in such a manner as to be 
understood by them, they were all required 
to repent. At the close of this discourse, he 
informed the congregation that if any one 
present had any objection to his doctrines, 
they were then at liberty to speak. Where- 
upon, John Hicks, one of the chiefs, arose 
and spoke as follows, "My friend, as you 
have given liberty to any one who had objec- 
tions to the doctrines you teach and endea- 
vour to maintain, to speak on the subject, and 
state their objections; I, for one, feel myself 
called upon to rise in defence of the religion 
of my fathers; — a system of religion the 
Great Spirit has given his red children, as 
their guide and the rule of their faith, and we 
are not going to abandon it so soon as you 
might wish ; we are contented with it, because 
it suits our conditions and is adapted to our 
capacities. Cast your eyes abroad over the 
world, and see how many different systems 
of religion there are in it — there are almost 
as many different systems as there are nations 



32 

«^say this is not the work of the Lord. No, my 
friend, your declaiming so violently against 
our modes of worshipping the Great Spirit, 
is, in my opinion, not calculated to benefit 
us as a nation ; we are willing to receive good 
advice from you, but we are not willing to 
have the customs and institutions which have 
been kept sacred by our Fathers, thus assailed 
and abused." 

Whereupon, Manoncue, another chief, arose 
and said, " I also have a few words to say in 
addition to what my friend has said, who has 
just taken his seat. I do not doubt but what 
you state faithfully what your book says ; but 
let me correct an error into which you appear 
to have run, and that is, your belief that the 
Great Spirit designed that his red children 
should be instructed out of it. This is a 
mistake, the Great Spirit never designed this 
to be the case ; he never intended that they 
should be instructed out of a book, a thing 
which properly belongs to those who made 
it and can understand what it says ; it is a 
plant that cannot grow and flourish among red 
people. Let me call your attention to another 



33 

important fact. — ^Where did the Son of God 
first make his appearance ? According to your 
book he first made his appearance away in 
the East, among the white people, and we 
never heard of his name until white people 
themselves told us. And what if we had 
never seen a white man ? we never would 
have heard of this new doctrine. The Son 
of God came among the white people and 
preached to them, and left his words written 
in a book, that they when he was gone, 
might read and learn his will concerning them; 
but he left no book for Indians, and why should 
he, seeing we red people know nothing about 
books ? If it had been the will of the Great 
Spirit that we should be instructed outof this 
book, he would have provided some way for 
us to understand the art of making and reading 
the books that contain his words. Ours is a 
religion that suits us red people, and we intend 
to keep and preserve it sacred among us, be- 
lieving that the Great Spirit gave it to our 
grand-fathers in ancient days." Stewart re-» 
phed that it was stated in this book, that the Son 
x)f God^ before he ascended into Heaven^ 



34 

commanded his disciples to " go into all the 
world, and preach the gospel unto every crea- 
ture ;" saying at the same time, that he that 
believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and 
he that believeth not, shall be damned." And 
in another place it is said, ^' and this gospel 
of the kingdom shall be preached in all the 
world, for a witness unto all nations, and then 
shall the end come." He added, further, that 
this did not mean to all nations of white people 
only, but to all nations composed of human 
beings, including whites, Indians and Africans, 
that all had share in the salvation which was 
purchased by the Son of God. Addressing 
himself particularly to the Wyandotts, he said 
" you certainly consider yourselves a nation 
composed of human beings ; if so, then you 
may rest assured that this gospel will be 
preached not only to you, but to all nations of 
Indians ; and not only Indians, but to all na- 
tions under the Heavens, before the end of 
the world shall come. And now my dear 
friends, only consider what an awful curse is 
pronounced upon those who reject this peace- 
ful gospel— who will not hear and believe it. 



3d 

but coldly turn from the loving ofters of the 
Son of God. You have heard that he has 
said, " whosoever believeth not shall be damn- 
ed." Awful curse ! O my friends, think well 
before you determine to reject this gospel, for 
if you do reject it, rest assured the curse will 
fall upon you, especially upon you chiefs, who 
have so great an influence over your people ; 
lead them not to destruction, I entreat you !" 
Having concluded his reply, the assembly 
was dismissed. — Manoncue came to Hicks 
privately and said, " my friend, I begin to 
feel somewhat inclined to abandon a good 
many of our Indian customs, but I cannot 
agree to give up painting my face; this I 
think would be wrong, inasmuch as ceasing 
to paint will be jeopardizing my health." 
(it being a received opinion among them 
that painting the face had a magic power 
in keeping ofFdiseases.) Hicks replied, "you 
can do as you please, my friend, in this mat- 
ter ; for my own part, I have strange feelings 
about this business, 1 hardly know what to 
do." These two chiefs were not Roman 
Catholics, but entirely untutored Indians, and 



36 

indeed those who were members of that 
church were little better in point of religious 
information. At almost every meeting there 
was less or more disputing between Stewart 
and some of the principal men of the nation ; 
especially after he commenced speaking 
against th<^ir feasts, dances, he. as being sinful 
in the sight of God. Notwithstanding their 
disputings, many of the awakened persons 
still continued to walk orderly, and to seek 
the pearl of great price. A part of those 
awakened persons were members of the 
Roman Catholic church, and had strong pre- 
dilections in favour of her doctrines and ce- 
remonies ; it is not, therefore, wonderful that 
it was with some difficulty they were brought 
fully to acquiesce in all the doctrines taught by 
Stewart. While under the influence of their 
former principles, they as often in their de- 
votions, prayed to the Virgin Mary as to God; 
they also used prayers for the deliverance of 
their departed friends from purgatory, crossing 
themselves when at prayer, keeping a multi- 
plicity of holy days, and performing pilgrim- 
ages once a year to St. Ann's Church, in 



Sandwich, in the province of Upper Cartad^l^* 
for the purpose of obtaining from the priest 
the pardon of their sins. These and many 
other absurd notions which many believed in, 
were hard to remove. On a certain occasion, 
while preaching to them and endeavouring toi- 
convince the Romish part-of his congregation 
of the many errors in which they believed^ 
he said, " as for your worshipping the Virgia 
Mary, let me tell you that it is contrary to God's 
commandments^ for he hath commanded his 
people, that they should *have none other 
gods before him ;' now all who worship the 
Virgin Mary, saints and angels, violate thi& 
commandment ; and there is nothing in the 
New Testament, commanding us to worship 
the Virgin, or any other saint or angel : the 
Virgin ought no more to be worshipped than 
any other good person who has found favour 
with God, and died and gone to Heaven." 
This was like an electric shock to many of 
them ; they looked with amazement on each 
other, considering the conclusion as nothing 
less than blasphemy. After the congregation 
was dismissed, many of them were seeis 
4 



standing about in groups, talking very earnestly^ 
while others, " gallio-like, cared for none of 
these things;" being neither Romans nor 
any thing else, but sons of folly and dissipa- 
tion, and cared not whether their people wor- 
shipped God, the Virgin, or the devil, taking 
no further interest in the meetings than, as they 
said, to " hear the preacher sing, and to see 
and be seen.*' Stewart possessed a very fine 
shrill and melodious voice for singing, and 
delighted much in that part cf worship, and 
Indian-j being naturally fond of music and 
company, it will not appear strange that the 
council-house (tho place of preaching) should 
be filled every Sabbath day. 

One thing is here worthy of remark, and 
that is, that not a single instance occurred 
during the time Stewart laboured amongthem, 
of their treating his peron with any indignity 
or violence. Notwithstanding his doctrine 
was so offensive to many of them, yet in his 
intercourse with them, he was always treated 
in a friendly and decorous manner. He was 
hospitably entertained among them, until he 
returned to Marietta. No such scenes of 



39 

abuse, persecution, cruelty and barbarity 
were witnessed, as took place at the time of 
the rise of Methodism in England, it being a 
maxim among the Indians, never, to treat a 
stranger who comes among them with disre- 
spect or indignity. Truly, a good maxim ! 

As yet there did not appear to be any who 
evidenced a genuine conversion, though many 
appeared to be really hopeful penitents, and 
mourning for "errors past." There being 
no preacher among them, who was authorised 
to form them into Society, and thereby, in 
some degree, cause them to " com© out 
from among the wicked," it will not be sur- 
prising to the reader, when he is informed 
that many grew weary in well doing, fainted 
by the way, and relapsed into a cold, careless, 
and indifferent state of mind. 

At a meeting which took place, it is be- 
lieved, on the third Wednesday in February, 
1817, he preached a sermon, in the concluding 
part of which he entered into a description of 
the day of Judgment, and in a most alarming 
manner warned them that they as well as all 
the rest of mankind, must be assembled before 



40 

the Great Judge, to give an account of their 
•conduct. " And there, my friends," said he, 
^' I shall meet you, and will have to answer for 
my manner of preaching to you, &c." The 
whole assembly appeared to be absorbed in se- 
rious thought. Alarm appeared evidently to 
be depicted in every countenance. Another 
meeting was appointed to be held at the same 
place, at early candle-light, and the congrega- 
tion was then dismissed. Accordingly at the 
appointed hour, Stewart came and found a 
few assembled. He then began to sing, and 
in a short time the people began to assemble, 
and in a few minutes the house was pretty 
well filled; he then rose up and began to 
exhort, and in the most pathetic manner, en- 
treated them to seek the Lord Jesus as the 
Saviour of sinners, and escape the impending 
wrath of an offended God; that now was the 
day of salvation, and not to neglect the present 
opportunity. When he concluded, he in- 
formed them that it was his intention to en- 
ideavour to hold a prayer-meeting, and 
exhorted those who had resolved to forsake 
their sins, to come forward and take an active 



4i 

part in calling upon God for the forgiveness 
of their sins. A few came forward, princi- 
pally women, and the exercise commenced ; 
it was not long before some of the idle spec- 
tators were struck to the ground, to all ap- 
pearance dead, and in a few minutes there 
were many slain, som.e lay crying for mercy, 
while others appeared to have no life in them. 
This extraordinary occurrence spread a gen- 
eral alarm in the congregation : some said he 
used some pov/erful medicine, which, when 
inhaled, would take the senses away, others 
said, not so; some ran after water for the 
purpose of resuscitating the apparently dead 
people; some cried out to Jonathan, the 
interpreter, to desist from singing those new 
songs, and to sing the Roman Catholic hymns, 
or they would all die. Thereupon, an old 
woman (aged about sixty years,) sprang up, 
having found the pearl of great price, began 
to clap her hands and rejoice with great joy, 
and went through all the crowd, proclaiming 
that God, for Jesus' sake, had forgiven all 
her sins, and added, that what the preacher 
said, was all true. Seeing her act and hear- 
4* 



ing her talk in a manner she never before had 
been known to do, they concluded, she un- 
<IoubtedIy was in a state of mental derange- 
ment. Stewart perceiving the consternation 
of the people, advised them to give themselves 
no uneasiness about the lives of those persons 
who were, as they supposed, dying or insane ; 
he added, further, " they are not dying, 
neither are they insane, as you suppose; 
though some of them, I trust, are dying to sin 
and struggling into a hfe of righteousness, 
peace and joy in the Holy Ghost ;" and ad- 
ded, yet further, that he would be accountable 
for all the lives that should be lost, or any 
harm done to their persons. None, however, 
were converted at this meeting, except the 
old w^oman above-mentioned, who is yet a 
living witness of the power of God to save 
from sin ; but many went away under a deep 
concern of soul. Although this meeting was 
continued until nearly midnight, John Hicks 
and Manoncue sat all the time as silent spec- 
tators, looking on with amazement, not utter- 
ing a word for or against this apparently dis- 
prdBrly meeting. In a few days a great dance 



was to be held at the council-house, for the 
purpose, as they said, of shewing the preacher 
the way and manner they worshipped the 
Great Spirit : — time rolled on, and the day 
arrived when the great festival was to take 
place ; during this time the young men had 
been out hunting for deer, bear, Sec. to be 
served up at the grand entertainment ; they 
returned with horse-loads of venison and 
bear-meat. Suitable persons were appointed 
to manage the preparations, he. On the day 
appointed a large number of people, young 
and old, male and female, were assembled ; 
a formal invitation was sent to Stewart, re- 
quiring his presence on the occasion. He 
came, accompanied by Jonathan, his constant 
interpreter ; a chief then arose and informed 
the assembly of the manner and order in 
which the feast and dance were to be con- 
ducted. Stewart sat witnessing this singular 
worship or thanksgiving ; the preparatory 
ceremonies being finished, the music was 
struck up, and the person appointed to lead 
the dance proceeded to the ring formed in 
the great council-house, and raised three tre- 



44 

iiiendous yells, (which at first startled Stewart) 
and commenced dancing ; then another arose 
and joined in, then another, until quite a 
lengthy column was formed, they kept mov- 
ing around following the ring; in a few minutes 
the women began to file in, old and young ; 
but what was Stewart's astonishment, when 
he beheld some mingling in the dance, who, 
as he supposed, were true mourners in Zion, 
who had renounced the vanities of the world ; 
alas! thought he, unpromising converts indeed. 
Although thus joining in the dance, did not 
seem to comport with the profession of reli- 
gion, yet, in the mind of one acquainted with 
those people, it would not militate so much 
against their sincerity, knowing how difficult 
it was to convince them that there was evil io 
the customs, which amongst them had from 
time out of mind been held sacred. While 
this dance was going on, many of the young 
men, as they were passing around opposite 
where Stewart sat, would endeavour to display 
their superior activity and agility in dancing, 
cutting the most ludicrous figures imaginable; 
sometimes with the head thrown on one 



45 

shoulder and the eyes shut — sometimes thh 
head thrown back so that there appeared to 
be some danger of a dislocation of the neck 
bone ; all this time the feet were in motion, 
keeping time with the music. Sometimes 
they would bend so far forward that the fore- 
head would almost touch the ground, with the 
hands placed on the hips, the arms a-kimbo, 
and the body in a perfect shiver, and all this 
accompanied with the most horrid yells imag- 
inable. In short, of all the twistings, writhings 
and contortions, of which a human body is 
capable, none were left untried ; so antic were 
their motions and gesticulations, that they 
were enough, in despite of gravity, to draw 
forth a burst of laughter from the spectator. 
At three o'clock, p. m. the dancing ceased ; 
the next was a distribution of the food pre- 
pared for the occasion : persons had been 
previously appointed to attend to this business, 
so that it was not long before each person had 
as much food placed before him as he could 
well dispose of. The repast went on with 
much mirth and good feeling, and in a short 
time the chiefs dismissed the assembly, and 



45 

they parted much gratified with the pleasure 
they had experienced on that occasion. Not- 
withstanding the wilHngness which Manoncue 
had sometime before expressed, to forsake 
and abandon all his Indian customs except 
that of painting his face, yet he could not 
tefrain from joining in the dance ; it was too 
fascinating for so great a lover of pleasure to 
resist. 

No certain information can now be obtained 
respecting what was said or done on the next 
Sabbath day, except that Stewart preached 
to them as usual. The next thing worthy of 
remark is, his taking leave of them ; it appears 
he had not given up his intention of following 
his connexions to the state of Tennessee ; he 
accordingly prepared to return to Marietta, 
from thence intending to proceed as above. 
On Sabbath day he delivered his farewell 
discourse, it is beheved, from Acts, xx ch. 
and 32 verse ; a large and serious congrega- 
tion was assembled. In the course of his 
sermon, he began again to enforce the neces- 
sity of a total abandonment of their heathenish 
customs and notions, as destructive to the spirit 



47 

of that religion which could qualify them for 
a happy life and triumphant death. " For" 
said he, " I have faithfully warned you that 
your feasts, dances, sacrifices, he. will never 
save you from your sins, and if you are never 
saved from your sins, where Grod is, you never 
can come; your mode of worship is not 
pleasing to God, but displeasing, especially 
since you have become better informed; God 
will never hear your petitions while you har- 
bour an attachment to thrrse customs ; for it 
is said m the word of God, ^If i legard 
iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear 
me.' My friends, I have spent nearly three 
months with endeavouring, in my feeble and 
imperfect manner, to teach you the way of 
eternal life — I have been instant, in season 
and out of season — I have prayed and wept 
for you — have preached and exhorted you to 
escape from the dreadful tempest that is 
coming, when the wrath and indignation of 
the Majesty of Heaven, will be revealed in 
the punishment and destruction of all who 
will not obey the gospel ; ajid O my God ! is 
this all to be in vain ? Must I depart and le&ie 



48 

you as I found yoiij careless, wicked and un- 
godly f God forbid it ! Ye know, from the 
first day I came into Sandusky, after what 
manner I have been with you in all seasons, 
serving the Lord with all humility of mind, 
with many tears and temptations which befel 
me ; and howl kept back nothing that was pro- 
fitable unto you, but have shewed you and have 
taught you publicly, and from house to house, 
testifying both to you Wyandotts and also to 
the whites, repentance towards God and faith 
in the Lord Jesus Christ. — Wherefore I take 
you to record this day, that I am pure from 
your blood ; I feel now that 1 have discharged 
my duty to you ; God sent me here to warn 
you to flee the wrath to come, and I have 
done so ; but. Lord, who hath believed the 
report ? He then directed his discourse to 
the believing part of the congregation, and in a 
feeling and pathetic manner exhorted them to 
faithfulness. In conclusion, he said, " now 
my friends, I expect you will see my face no 
more, for I must go ; I shall meet you all at 
the flaming bar of God ; and my friends, for 
your kindness to me since I came among you, 



49 

I take this opportunity of expressing my grat^ 
itiide to you ; God will reward you ; for he 
hath said, " whosoever shall give to drink unto 
one of these little ones, a cup of cold water in the 
name of a disciple, shall not lose his reward." 
He then addressed himself to the chiefs and 
principal men of the nation in a few words, 
and concluded. During the sermon, a dead 
silence reigned, except the weeping and sob- 
bing which was heard in all directions of the 
house. He then began to sing, — 

" Farewell, dear friends, I must be gone, 
" I have no home, or stay with you ;" 

And as he sung, proceeded around among the 
people, taking each by the hand ; many un« 
derstanding some English, it had so great an 
effect upon them, that fortitude completely 
forsook them : even his most violent opposers 
were constrained to drop a tear, on his bidding 
them adieu ; it was a sore trial to Stewart 
himself. Having gone through the congrega- 
tion and come to the door, he stopped, paused,^ 
and cast an affectionate and compassionate look 
upon them and v^ .jnt out. Some followed him 
and requested that he would stay until the 



60 

liext day, as they wished to have an interview 
with him before he departed ; to this he con- 
sented. The people dispersed, and at the 
proposed interview, some, indeed all his 
friends insisted upon his abandoning the idea 
of going away, but to remain among them. 
He informed them that he was under the ne- 
cessity of going, if he had to return again ; 
they then insisted on his returning; to this he 
at length agreed, but said he was poor and 
would be obliged to stop at the first town he 
should come to, and work for some money 
to bear his expenses to Marietta, and of course 
he could not promise to return sooner than 
the last week in June or the first of July. — 
With this promise they were satisfied. At 
the suggestion of Mrs. Warpole, (of whom 
we shall have occasion to speak hereafter,) 
a collection was made in the village amount- 
ing to ten dollars, for the purpose of bearing 
his expenses and hastening his return : he 
then departed. The Indians all made prepa- 
rations and went to their sugar camps, as the 
sugar making season had come on. Situated 
as they were, it was difficult to determine who 



51 

were Christians and who were not, for ttie 
righteous and unrighteous were all mixed 
together. Deprived as they were of the or- 
dinances of God's house, such as baptism, 
the Lord's supper, marriage, &c. and not 
having the advantages of class-meetings, disci- 
pline, &c. were causes of the work not appear- 
ing so flattering as it otherwise might. Many, 
no doubt, were under deep convictions, and 
groaning for deliverance from their burden 
of guilt, who, for the want of proper care and 
nursing in the bosom of the church, afterwards 
became discouraged, grew cold, and finally 
gave it up. 

They were a very intemperate people, so 
much so, that on actual investigation, not 
twenty really sober men could be found in 
the whole nation, which consisted of about 
seven hundred, young and old. Stewart's f 
preaching produced a reformation in regard f 
to this particular vice ; drunkenness seemed f 
to have flown from their borders, and many f 
other vicious practices were abandoned i in 1 
short, a degree of amendment was visible in \ 
the whole neighbourhood— their feasts, dances^ / 



sacrifices, &c. they could not yet consent to 
abandon, so completely were they established 
in the belief that they were instituted by their 
Creator as their mode of worship ; (this was 
not, however, the case with all Wyandotts, 
some did not believe so, having been better 
informed from infancy.) Nothing worthy of 
remark took place, until their return from 
iheir sugar camps to the village ; some wicked 
and designing white men informed some of 
them that Stewart's master had come out from 
the state of Virginia to Ohio in pursuit of him, 
had found and taken him, and carried him 
back to Virginia in irons. This piece of 
information was credited by some and by 
others it was not ; however, it created con- 
siderable uneasiness among his friends. — 
Nothing was heard from him until about the 
second week in June, when a letter was re- 
ceived from him by Mr. Walker, enclosing a 
written sermon or address, which he request- 
ed Mr. Walker should cause to be read to the 
Wyandotts on a Sabbath day in their own 
tongue. This was done on the Sabbath fol- 
lowing, to a large congregation, many of whom 



53 

were truly glad to hear from him, and partic- 
ularly to learn that the above report was false. 
The letter to Mr. Walker above-mentioned, 
was in the words following, to wit : 

''Marietta, (O.) May 25th, 1817. 
William Walker, Esq. 

Sir, I have taken the liberty of enclosing to 
your care the within written address, directed 
to the Wyandott nation, for their information 
and edification, hoping that it will (through 
the blessing of God,) impress on their minds, 
religious and moral sentiments. I have taken 
the liberty to address it to you, hoping that 
you will have the goodness to read it, or 
cause it to be read in their hearing, and in 
their own language, that they may understand 
its true meaning; and moreover, that you 
will try to impress on their minds the neces^ 
sity of adhering strictly to the laws of God — 
that their hearts should be constantly set upon 
the Supreme Being who created them ; and 
that it is their duty to raise their voices in 
praising, adoring, and loving that Jesus, who 
has suffered and died for them, as well as for 
5* 



54 

ihose who are more enlightened. Inform 
them that aUhough their brother is far from 
them in body, yet his anxiety for their safety 
and future happiness is very great ; in doing 
this you will confer a favour upon me which I 
shall ever remember with gratitude. My en- 
gagements you no doubt recollect, were, that 
I should return about the last week in June, 
but owing to misfortunes and disappointments 
to which we are all liable, together with a 
wound I accidentally received on my leg, will 
prevent my having the pleasure of seeing or 
being with you until the middle of July ; at 
which time 1 hope, by the grace of God, to 
have the pleasure of seeing you and the Wy- 
andott people generally. At that time I shall 
not fail to ofFer verbally, my gratitude to you 
and your dear family, for the services yon and 
they have rendered me. 

May I ask you to have the goodness to 
write to me ? and please inform me of the 
general state of those persons that have re- 
formed since I first went among them, and 
how many have evidenced a change since I 
came away, and whether they continue to 



55 

conduct themselves with that sincerity of hearty 
that»would be acceptable in the eyes of God; 
finally, whether they appear as anxious for my 
return, as they appeared to be for ray stay when 
I was coming away. In attending to these 
requests of mine, you will confer an obligation 
which will be ever remembered, with every 
mark of gratitude and respect. 

I remain your humble servant, and in every 
instance sincerely hope, not only to meet 
with your approbation, but that also of my 
God. 

John Stewart." 



TBE ADD1LE8S. 

" My dear and beloved Friends : 
I, your brother traveller to eternity, by 
the grace and mercy of God, am blessed with 
this opportunity of writing to you ; although 
1 be far distant from you in body, yet my 
mind is oft times upon you. I pray you to 
be watchful that the enemy of souls do not 
ensnare you ; pray to the Lord both day and 
night with a sincere heart, and he will uphold 



you in all your trials and troubles. The words 
that T shall take as a standard to try to encou- 
rage you from, may be found in the 5tli 
chapter of Matthew, 6tli verse, * Blessed are 
they who hunger and thirst after righteousness, 
for they shall be filled.' These words were 
spoken by our Saviour Jesus Christ, and they 
are firm and sure ; for his words are more 
firm than the heavens or the earth. Likewise 
the promise appears to be permanent; it does 
not say it may be, or perhaps, so as to leave 
it doubtful ; but, 'they shall be filled.' This 
man, Jesus Christ, spake like one who pos- 
sessed power to fill and satisfy the hungering 
soul, and we have no reason to dispute his 
ability to do so ; knowing that he made all 
things that are made, and made man for his 
service, then we are bound to believe that he 
is a Being of all power, able to fulfil all his 
promises to all mankind. Though he made 
us for his service we have all gone astray into 
the forbidden paths of sin and folly ; therefore 
the promise appears to be held out to a par- 
ticular class of people, who, happy are they, 
if they find themselves in this hungering and 



57 

thirsting after the righteousness of the Lord 
Jesus Christ. In the first place, my friends, 
I shall endeavour to shew you who it is that 
this gracious promise is made to, or how it is 
that we have a right to this promise ; accord- 
ing to the light the Lord has given me, it is 
not him that is living in open rebellion against 
God, and going contrary to his commands-^ 
that closes his eyes against the light — that is 
barring the door of his heart against the striv- 
ings of the blessed Spirit, that is continually 
admonishing him to forsake the ways of sin, 
and turn and seek the salvation of his soul ; 
it is that man or woman who has called upon 
that God that hears sinners pray, and who 
will have mercy upon such as will call upon him 
with sincerity of heart, really desiring to re- 
ceive and believing that he is able to give you. 
The Lord by his goodness will begin to take 
off the veil that the enemy has veiled you 
with, then you begin to see how thou hast 
strayed from the right way, this causes the 
sinner to be more and more engaged : this 
good and great Saviour, who sees and knows 
the secrets of every heart, seeing the poor 



58 

soul willing to forsake the service of the devil, 
moves nearer and nearer to the sinner, his 
glorious light shines into his heart, he gives 
him to see the pool of crime that he has com- 
mitted against the Blessed Saviour who hung 
on the tree for the sins of the world ; this 
makes him mourn and grieve over his sins, 
and calling on the mighty Saviour, as his last, 
his best refuge, for help ; finding that there 
is no help in and of himself, seeing that all 
he has done is nothing, this causes the soul 
to try to make his last prayer, crying * Lord 
save, or I perish;' thou wouldst be just in 
sending me to destruction, but Lord save, for 
Christ's sake ; Lord, I have done all I can 
do, take me, do thy will with me, for thou 
knowest better what to do with me than I can 
desire. This blessed Saviour shews his face 
with ten thousand smiles — lays his hand to 
the work — breaks the snares of sin — unlooses 
him from the fetters and chains of unbelief- 
sets the soul at liberty — puts a new song in 
his mouth — makes the soul rejoice with joy 
unspeakable and full of glory ; it is then he 
desires to go to his friend who has done so 



tHuch for him, and leave this troublesome 
world ; but the soul has to stay until it has 
done its duty on earth, which will not be long. 
After a few more rolling suns of this life, the 
tempter begins to tempt him ; the world, the 
flesh and the devil all unite, the poor soul 
begins to mourn and grieve, because he can- 
not do as he would wish ; when he would do 
good, evil is present ; then it is the soul begins 
to hunger and thirst after righteousness. My 
friends, be glad and rejoice in the Lord, for 
this promise is to you and to all mankind ; 
yes, they shall be filled with water issuing 
from the throne of God. O, my friends, pray 
to God to give you a hungering and thirsting 
after righteousness ! seek for it and you shall 
find it, for you shall reap in due season if you 
faint not. If you persevere in the way of 
well doing, you will find in your path clusters 
of sweet fruits, that will satisfy your hunger- 
ing souls, and being faithful to your Lord's 
commands, when you have made your way 
through much tribulation, and lie down on 
your dying bed, you will be filled with the 
glorious prospect of the reward that awaits 



60 

you y guardian angels wait around your bed, 
to bear your soul away to those bright worlds 
of everlasting day, where the friend of poor 
sinners reigns. This fills the soul with the 
sweets of love divine, this methinks, will make 
the dying bed of the man or woman, ' soft 
as downy pillows are." Therefore, my 
friends, if you hold out faithful, you will have 
part in the first resurrection ; then it will be 
that you will see your Lord and master face 
to face ; then it will be that you will hear that 
blessed sentence 'Come ye blessed of my 
Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you 
from the foundation of the world.' Then 
shall you sit down with the people of God in 
that kingdom, where your Saviour with his 
soft hand will wipe all tears from your eyes. 
There you shall see and be with him, and 
praise him to all eternity. Having, after a 
broken and imperfect manner, my friends, 
shewn you the characters of those who hunger 
and thirst after righteousness,! shall endeavour 
to ssy a fevv words to that class of people, who 
I, in the foregomg part of my discourse saiJ, 
Iiad no part in the promise. A few words of 



consolation to tbe sinner ; that is, ibe Lord is 
willing to save all who will call upon him 
with a sincere heart, at the same time having 
determined to forsake all sin, and to seek the 
salvation of their souls. Now, my friends^ 
you who have been at war against this great 
friend of sinners, now turn, for behold now is 
the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. 
Take into consideration, realize how long the 
Lord has spared your lives, and all this time 
you have been resisting his holy and blessed 
Spirit — this Spirit the Lord has sent to warn 
you, and entreat you to turn to the Lord ; 
But oh !. my friends, how often have you 
thrusted that good spirit away, and forced it 
to depart from you ! Let me inform you, i^ 
you continue to resist this good spirit, it will 
after awhile leave you, never more to return; 
for God hath said, * my spirit shall not always 
strive with man.' Therefore, my friends, 
though you have caused the spirit to go away- 
grieved, now begin to encourage and attend 
to its admonitions; he that receives it and 
obeys its directions, receives Christ, and at 
the same time receives God the Father- M7 
G 



62 

friendsj if you will not adhere to the Lord'ss 
Spirit, neither to the entreaties of your friend, 
the time draws on when you will wish you 
had spent this glorious opportunity the Lord 
has given you, in preparing to meet Him who 
is to judge the world. Then it will be you 
\vill have to hear and abide by that dreadful 
sentence * Depart ye cursed — ye workers of 
iniquity, for I never knew you.' Oh ! my 
friends, consider you must go into fire pre- 
pared for the devil and his angels, where the 
worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched. 
Some of you may put off this and think it is 
a long time yet before it comes to pass ; but 
consider, if the Lord does not call you by 
judgment, death is always near, and he taking 
oiF our friends both on our right and on our 
left hands. Ah ! we must all, sooner or later, 
be called to lie on a sick bed, when no phy- 
sician can effect a cure, when death — cold 
and dreary death will lay hold on us ; then 
will we have a view of awful eternity, and if 
unprepared, horror will seize upon the soul, 
while our friends wait around our bed, to see 
lis bid the world adieu. Oh I what anguish 



63 

will tear the soul of the sinner ! What bitter 
lamentations will then be made for mis-spent 
opportunities, slighted mercies 1 O ! that I 
had spent my time more to the Lord ! Then 
you will say, farewell my friends, I have got 
to go, for devils are waiting round my bed, to 
drag my soul away to hell. Then will you 
remember how often you grieved the good 
Spirit of the Lord, how often you drove it 
from you, but too late, you must go to endure 
the horrors of everlasting burnings. Then, 
my friends, accept of my feeble advice ; bear 
constantly in mind the necessity of obtaining 
this blessed promise, and ever let your hearts 
and conduct be guided by the directions of 
that blessed Saviour who died for you, that 
you might live. You who have set out in the 
way of well doing, be faithful unto death, and 
you will be conveyed by angels to Abraham's 
bosom, and there meet the sweet salutation^ 
of *well done good and faithful servant, enter 
thou into the joy of thy Lord.' And may 
God bless you and keep you in the path of 
righteousness, until he shall see fit to close your 
eyes in death. Now may the blessing, &c= 
John Stewart," 



Q4 

At the time set by him for his return, he 
arrived at Sandusky. On his arrival, he 
learned with much sorrow and regret, that a 
young man of an amiable disposition, whom 
he sincerely loved, and who once bid fair to 
become a pious and useful man, (for when 
Stewart left Sandusky, he appeared to be 
much engaged in seeking the salvation of his 
soul) had been murdered in a drunken frolic. 
Poor young man, lost all his good desires and 
fell into the snare of the devil. Stewart now 
without delay, went about seeking those he 
left in the service of the Lord. Some had 
turned back to the beggarly elements of the 
world — some remained faithful. He imme- 
diately commenced preaching as he had for- 
merly done. He now found many Wyan- 
dotts whom he had not seen when he was first 
among them, (they having been out hunting,) 
and of course his preaching was a new thing 
to them. It was not long before a violent 
opposition was raised by some of the princi- 
pal men of the nation against the progress of 
this new religion. Many arguments were 
wsed by those in the opposition, to prevent 



G5 

the success of Stewart's ministry. The prin- 
cipal leaders of this opposition were Manon- 
cue, and Two Logs, or Bloody Eyes, both 
Chiefs in the nation. They represented in 
glowing colours, the great and many evils and 
calamities that would befal them as a people 
or nation, if they abandoned the sacred insti- 
tutions which the God of the red people had 
given them as their mode of worshipping^him : 
institutions also designed for their amuse- 
ment — that they would justly incur the dis- 
pleasure of the great Spirit by such a step — 
that the great Spirit designed those institu- 
tions to be held sacred among them and kept 
up forever. They exhorted the people never 
to entertain the idea of abandoning them, as- 
suring them that while they continued to ad- 
here to the religion of their fathers, they would 
be on the safe side. 

Summer was with them, a season of amuse- 
ment and great happiness. Feasts, dances, 
ball-plays, foot-races, horse-races, &c. were 
their chief delight, and it will not be wondered 
at, that they should with great reluctance give 
up the things which afforded them so much 
6* 



60 

pleasure. Through the course of the sum 
mer, dance succeeded dance, and feast suc- 
ceeded feast, until Autumn admonished them 
to resume the chase. 

Sometime in the month of August, a large 
number of Wyandotts were collected at a 
liouse-raising, and Stewart being present, 
Two Logs began in a very violent and bois'^ 
terous manner to declaim against Stewart and 
his doctrine ; a friend of Stewart's replied in 
a very spirited manner. This brought on a 
considerable controversy, in which several 
took part. Two Logs objected particularly 
to his preaching against their dancing, feast- 
ing, &c. At length Stewart was called upon 
to defend his doctrines against the formidable 
attack made by Two Logs. Stewart in a 
mild and plain manner endeavoured to con- 
vince him of the evil tendency of the practi- 
ces he so warmly advocated, and among other 
things he stated that a poet had represented 
t\ie jjancing and frolicking part of the damned, 
as crying out in their distress and agony, and 
avin^, 



67 

'^' Now Hail ! all hail ! ye frightful ghost?, 

With whom I once did dweU, 
And spent ray days in frantic mirth, 

And danced my soul to hell." 

At this Two Logs raised a great hoarse laugh, 
and inquired whether the persons who made 
those bitter fomentations were Indians, and 
added, "I do not believe the Great Spirit 
will punish his red children for dancing, 
feasting, &:c. Yet I cannot say that he will 
not punish white people for doing these 
things ; for to me it looks quite probable the 
Great Spirit has forbidden these things among 
the whites, because they are naturally wicked, 
quarrelsome and contentious ; for it is a truth 
they cannot deny, that they cannot have a 
dance, a feast, or any public amusement, but 
some will get drunk, quarrel, fight, or do 
something wrong. Now, my friend, you 
have been present at several of our dances 
and feasts, and did you see any of these bad 
things going on f* No, we have our public 
amusements in peace and good will to each 
other, and part in the same manner. Now, 



08 

where is the great evil you see ?*' It is not 
known what Stewart's reply was. 

Two Logs would sometimes tell the people, 
it was really derogatory to their character, to 
have it said, that they had a Negro for their 
preacher^ as that race of people was always con- 
sidered inferior to Indians. " The Great Spi- 
rit," said he, " never created Negroes, they 
were created by the Evil Spirit." When as- 
sembled at the place " where prayer was wont 
to be made" and a sermon preached, either 
Mononcue or Two Logs were sure to rise 
up, and refute (as they thought) the sermon* 
A great stir took place in consequence of 
some person, who, it is said, had seen a vis- 
ion. This person related it to several of the 
principal men. It was as follows : On a cer- 
tain day while Stewart was preaching in the 
Council-House, she rose up, went out and 
proceeded to a vacant house a short distance 
off, and when she came near, she found a 
man standing by the corner of the house, 
looking-towards the Council House. He 
spoke to her and requested her to stop, which 
ghe did. He then informed her that he was 



6d 

the God of the red people ; that he had come 
to warn his people personally against embra- 
cing the religion of the white people, >?vhich, 
if they did receive, would bring on them and 
their children dreadful calamities : it would 
be the means of destroying them as a nation. 
That man (meaning Stewart) though here 
under the specious pretence of trying to make 
the red people religious, according to the 
white man's religion, is here in reality for 
the purpose of doing you a great injury, 
which you cannot and will not see, until the 
evil itself comes upon you ; and added that 
the only way to avoid the impending destruc- 
tion was, not to listen to his preaching ; but 
to go on and live as they had lived ; and then 
vanished. It appears this Deity did not see 
proper to inform her what the evil was which 
Stewart really intended to bring upon the na- 
tion. This report soon noised abroad : some 
believed ; but many did not. Stewart being 
informed of it, he immediately went to visit 
this woman, for the express purpose of hear- 
ing her relate her vision. She very readily 
complied, and stated what she had seen and 
heard. He informed her that he did not be- 



70 

lieve her, as there was no such being as a 
distinct God for Indians — that there was but 
one God, and he created White, Red and 
Black people. He then made some inquiry 
concerning the woman's character for truth 
and veracity, and found that it was not very 
good. Notwithstanding her character for 
truth was doubtful, yet those persons who 
were opposed to Stewart's preaching made 
use of her vision to further their purposes. 

Many were the visions, revelations, prophe- 
cies, &c. which were sounded about the 
whole neighbourhood : all appearing to aim at 
the destruction of Stewart's preaching. A 
report was raised by some of the opposition, 
and industriously circulated among the people, 
that many years before the white people disco- 
vered this continent, one of the old Wyan^ 
dott Prophets prophesied that it would come 
to pass, when an entire new race of people 
should come across the great water and over- 
spread the whole continent, the red people 
should not be able to oppose them— that by 
degrees the Indians would disappear, their 
territorial bounds become verv much circuni- 



n 

scjfibed — each nation would be confined to 
small spots of land ; but this would not be the 
end ; the next thing would be, a man of a 
black skin would come among them, who, 
though under the semblance of friendship, 
would effect, ultimately, their entire over- 
throw and destruction ; and that the only way 
for them to escape was, not to countenance 
him or give him any encouragement, nor 
listen to any thing he might say, &c. Jona- 
than's influence in the nation was but little, in 
consequence of his former bad character ; for 
all knew him to have been too much given to 
telling of falsehoods ; this circumstance placed 
Stewart in an unpleasant situation, and was 
much against his success in his work. Some 
said that Jonathan while interpreting would 
say more than Stewart said) and would narrow 
down his discourses to suit his own views and 
feelings. 

Nothing remarkable transpired during this 
summer. Stewart continued preaching. — 
Those who professed to believe in the Chris- 
tain religion still appeared to manifest gooij 
desires, but took no active part either way. 



72 

in the month of August, A. D. 181t, a 
treaty was called by the Commissioners on 
part of the general Government, to be held at 
Fort Meigs with the Wyandotts and other 
nations of Indians, for the purpose of purcha- 
sing their lands. A general attendance was 
requested. While preparations were making 
to attend the treaty, Stewart deemed it advi- 
sable to return to Marietta, and remain there 
until winter. Nearly the whole nation went, 
leaving but a few individuals to take charge of 
their houses, cornfields, &ic. As the most 
of the facts related in this little work have 
been hastily collected from the recollection 
of individuals, it has so happened that no 
information has been furnished relative to 
Stewart, or his labours among the Wyandotts, 
from the time of his leaving the nation to go 
to Marietta, as above stated, until the latter 
part of the year 1818. At that time he 
had to encounter difficulties, which, although 
they were not altogether of a new character, 
yet as they proceeded from a new and unex- 
pected source, they were of a truly disagree- 
able and painful nature. Certain Missions* 



13 

lies in travelling to the North called with the 
Wyandotts, amongjwhom Stewart was labour- 
ing, and spent a short time in preaching to 
them. On ascertaining how remarkably use- 
ful Stewart's labours had been in bringing 
the Indians to t^^p 'knowledge of the truth, and 
how highly he was esteemed by most of them,- 
they proposed to him to receive him as a 
member of their church, and to employ him 
as one of their Missionaries on that station, at 
a very comfortable salary; but as from a 
difference in religious opinions from them, he 
could not accept their offer, he refused; 
whereupon they demanded the authority by 
which he was acting as a gospel minister and 
as a Methodist Missionary. As he possessed 
no regular authority of this kind, he confessed 
to them the fact. Through their means, this 
became known; and was employed by the 
white traders and the opposing Indians as cer- 
tain evidence that he was an impostor. This 
circumstance operated, for awhile, considera- 
bly to his disadvantage. He thereupon com- 
municated a knowledge of his truly disagreea- 
ble situation to the Quarterlv-Meetin* Con= 



74 

ference of Mad river circuit, who advised him 
by letter to continue his labours until mea- 
sures could be taken to procure for him a 
regular license as a Preacher of the Gospel, 
and at the same time gave him assurances of 
their decided approbation of the course he 
had pursued. Until now it was unknown in 
the white settlements that any religious excite- 
ment existed among the Indians, or that Stew- 
art was among them, or even that such a man 
existed. The Quarterly Conference thought 
it advisable that some person should visit the 
Indians, to aid the good work which had so 
prosperously commenced among them ; ac- 
cordingly Moses M. Henkle, a young man Oi 
Mad river circuit, who had just entered the 
ministry, volunteered in this novel and impor- 
tant work. Early in the month of February, 
A. D, 1819, he set out on this missionary tour, 
and spent some length of time in labouring 
among the Wyandotts. At this time there 
was a mighty out-pouring of the good spirit 
among them. Many professed to have found 
the pearl of great price, and many others were 
inquiring the way to Zion, deeply mourning 



Iheir past sins. In short it was believed that 
the labours of this young man at this time 
were of great and signal benefit ; as his preach- 
ing served completely to confirm what Stew- 
art had before taught. Having during the 
time of his stay at Sandusky had a good op- 
portunity of witnessing Stewart's deportment, 
and being fully satisfied of his piety and use- 
fulness, brought away with him a certificate of 
membership which Stewart had obtained at 
Marietta, a certificate of his having been there 
recommended by his class for license to ex- 
hort, and also certificates of his character and 
usefulness, from the time of his first appear- 
ing at Sandusky, from several of the chiefs, 
Mr. Walker, the sub-agent, and from several 
other persons, at the same time directing 
Stewart to attend the next Quarterly meeting 
for Mad river circuit, to be held at Urbana, in 
the month of March, 1819. At which time 
and place Stewart attended. He was intro- 
duced to the Quarterly Conference, and the 
papers above mentioned being submitted and 
examined in open Conference, by Bishop 
George and the Presiding Elder, Moses 



Crume ; and the case being fully understood 
hy the Conference, he was regularly licensed 
to preach the Gospel. The information given 
by Stewart and M. M. Henkle to this Con- 
ference, induced a full conviction in their 
minds, that the condition of the WyandottS 
loudly called for aid. But as it was near six 
months until the sitting of the Annual Confer- 
ence, the question was, what could be done 
(in addition to Stewart's regular labours) to 
supply them until the time of Conference ? 
Finally, volunteers were called for. Where- 
upon, Moses Henkle, senior, Joseph Mitchell, 
Robert Miller, Samuel Hitt, James Mont- 
gomery and SaCil Henkle, Local Preacher: 
of Mad river circuit, agreed to supply them 
"with preaching once a month during the 
time aforesaid; which was done; although 
one or two of those men could not make it 
convenient within the time to take their turn. 
Stewart still continued his regular labours, 
and was much esteemed, not only by those 
of the nation to whom he had been peculiar- 
ly useful, but by those brethren above named, 
who visited Sandusky and were witnesses of 



77 

his work of faith and labour of love. It is 
said, however, that he effected more real 
good among those people, by visiting from 
house to house and holding private conferen- 
ces with them on the subject of religion, than 
by his more public labours. The difficulties ? 
which he had to encounter, while striving to | 
build up the walls of Zion in this once howl- j 
ing wilderness, being almost innumerable,* 
required much Christian fortitude and pa- 
tience. Under all his trials he gave satisfac- 
tory evidence that he had, in a good degree, 
learned of Jesm to be meek and lowly in 
heart. Scarcely a week at a time passed, but 
some report or other calculated and intended 
to injure his usefulness among those people 
was put in circulation, and principally by 
wicked and designing white men. Notwith- 
standing all these things, he still retained his 
deserved share of the confidence and esteem 
of many of the Wyandotts. As a proof of 
this, sometime after the Treaty at Fort Meigs, 
a number of the Wyandott people made ap- 
phcation to the chiefs, for liberty to settle 
Stewart permanently on the section of land, 
7* 



hi ilie centre of their reservation, ^bich wais, 
by the provisions of the treaty, set apart for 
the support of a Missionary. To this the 
chiefs did not feel themselves at liberty to 
consent ; but said they were willing he should 
5tay on it until the Missionary provided for in 
the treaty should come and enter upon his 
duties, and thereupon adopted him into the 
nation, and divided with him their annuities. 
About the time, or soon after the visit of 
young M. Henkle, an aged woman and one 
of Stewart's constant hearers, died a witness 
of the reality of the religion which he was 
constantly striving to promote among them. 
She was of a family of Wyandotts who were 
very much attached to their heathenish cus- 
toms, and violently opposed to the " white 
man's religion," as they called it. She atten- 
tively listened to Stewart's preaching, and 
for some time was in great doubts how to 
decide or what step to take. Being an 
earnest inquirer after truth, she for some 
time "halted between two opinions." At 
length, having consulted some of the Christian 
Wyandotts, who gave her great encouragment^ 



^9 

she openly renounced all her heathenish cus- 
toms, and sought diligently the pearl of great 
price. Her younger brother, Frost, who 
pretended to be a necromancer, was greatly 
enraged when he learned that his sister had 
embraced the religion taught by the "Hesent 
see"* preacher, and in a most furious manner, 
threatened to take the preacher's life by means 
of the supernatural power which he possessed. 
He used many means to prevail on her to 
abjure Christianity, but all in vain ; he pur^- 
sued her with his arguments and his threats, 
but she was inflexible; she defended her reli- 
gion by solid arguments which he was unable 
to answer ; he then left her house, declaring 
that he would never again enter it. It is be- 
lieved he kept his word, for sometime after- 
wards, while out on a hunting tour, he was 
killed in a drunken frolic by one of his own 
party. This woman continued faithful to 
the good cause of religion until she was called 
home to her reward. 
Since we have given place to biography, 

*The Wyandott word for Negro, 



80 

nve cannot forbear giving a sketch of one who 
was the first fruits of Stewart's ministry, to 
wit : Catharine Warpole, the woman who 
proposed making a collection for Stewart, 
mentioned in the former part of this work. — 
She was the wife of Warpole^ a war Chief of 
the nation, who was much given to habits of 
intemperance. When Stewart first came to 
Sandusky, he was out hunting, and did not 
return until the next summer. During his 
absence Mrs. Warpole attended Stewart's 
preaching, and in a short time was deeply 
convinced of sin, (although she had been all 
her Hfe, a remarkably exemplary and moral 
woman,) began to inquire what she should do 
to be saved, and determined to forsake every 
thing sinful and seek the salvation of her 
soul, let the present consequences be what 
they might. When her husband came home, 
he soon learned what had been going on in 
his absence, and among other things, that his 
wife had embraced this new religion. He 
immediately gave her to understand that he 
was not pleased with the step she had taken, 
and that he would never give his consent to 



Si 

fwving any new system of religion introdu- 
ced into his house. She endeavoured in vain 
to convince him of his error. He commen- 
ced a course of persecution and cruelty to- 
wards her. She hoped that after a season 
he would relax his severity and they would 
live more agreeably ; but in this she was dis- 
appointed. She continued to seek the Lord, 
and to call upon him for strength to support 
her in her trying hours. After a considera- 
ble length of time had elapsed, and there ap- 
pearing to be no prospect of peace and tran- 
quility being restored unless she would re- 
nounce and abandon her religious pursuits : 
with the advice of some friends, she con- 
cluded to leave all and make her way to 
Canada, where she had some connexions. — 
Accordingly she took an opportunity and 
started. She had not been long gone, before 
Warpole suspecting the step she had taken, 
pursued and overtook her at a Wyandott set- 
tlement, called the Big Springs. As soon as 
he came into the house at which she had 
stopped, he immediately began beating her 
with his tomahawk handle, in a most furious 



82 

and violent manner. She submitted patiently 
to these insults and returned with him. He 
blamed Stewart with being the cause of her 
becoming deranged in mind, and was much 
opposed to his preaching to the Wyandotts 
at all. So she remained until Mr. Henkle 
came and entered upon his missionary la- 
bours, still receiving insults and abuses at 
his hands until her situation became quite 
intolerable. In this situation, through Stew- 
art, she made application to Mr. Henkle for 
liberty to take refuge from those excessive 
abuses, at his house, to which he consented, 
and thereupon by a friend, she was in the 
night season, conveyed some miles distant from 
the village, and then she proceeded to the 
house of Mr. Henkle, a distance from San- 
dusky of seventy-five or eighty miles, where, 
and at Mr. Armstrong's at the head of Mad 
river, she remained for several months, and 
then returned to Sandusky. Some time after 
this, her husband professing an anxiety to 
have her return to and live with him ; pro- 
mising most solemnly that in future he would 
iLreat her in a better manner : she havinsr 



83 

strong doubts whether it were her duty to do 
so or not, sought for counsel and aid from 
others, in regard to this important affair. In 
order to this, she pursued the following 
method, to wit : to have the case laid before 
the preachers and some of the principal 
members of the Church at a camp-meeting 
which was to be held on Mad river circuit. 
This was attended to, her husband himself 
attending, gave assurances to the meeting that 
he was sensible of his former wrong in this 
behalf, and that in future he would amend. 
It was judged best that she should once more 
make an attempt to live with hira, and accord- 
ingly she was so advised. She made the at- 
tempt, and although he kept good his vows 
for a short time, he soon began again to treat 
her cruelly, and then left her and took another 
woman. She has since been married to 
John Hicks, a respectable Christian Chief of 
the nation, and is to the present day, as is 
believed by her acquaintances, walking and 
living as a follower of Christ. 

About this time another formidable oppo 
ser of religion arose, threatening its total anni 



■( 



84 

hilation among the Wyandotts. This was 
the head Chief of the nation Duon-Quot ; a 
man warmly attached to their heathenish cus- 
toms, and violently opposed to the introduc- 
tion of the Gospel among his people ; espe- 
cially, as he discovered that a reception of 
the Gospel as taught by Stewart, would ne- 
cessarily result in the entire overthrow of the 
customs and religion of their ancestors. He 
soon found a number of adherents who were 
glad of the opportunity of arraying them- 
selves- under so powerful a leader. These 
things did not damp the ardour of the zeal of 
those who had embraced the " glad tidings 
of great joy." Duon-Quot used every in- 
trigue and artifice he could invent, to over- 
throw the faith of Christian professors. In 
this conduct of this Chief, there appeared a 
strange inconsistency, he having lately con- 
sented to the article in the Treaty, which 
made provision for the settlement of a Mis- 
sionary and establishment of a school among 
the Wyandotts. In a subsequent revival of 
the work of religion, when a large number of 
bis adherents withdrew from his party, and 



86 

became professors of religion, he was heard 
to say, " Well, the white man's religion may 
go on from house to house, until the whole 
nation embraces it, but when it comes to my 
house, it must there stop." Unhappy man ! 
little did he think when he uttered these words, 
so fraught with hostility to the best of causes, 
that in a few days his soul would be required 
of him ; for in a short time he was most vio- 
lently attacked with the billious fever, and 
death seemed to be his inevitable fate ; but 
the merciful Lorjjfegainst whom he had rais- 
ed the puny arm of rebellion, who delighteth 
not in the death of a sinner, as if willing to 
give him another of fleeing for refuge, &c. 
rebuked his disease and restored him to a . 
good degree of health. But alas ! no sign of 
reformation — his returning strength was again 
employed in the destruction of his own soul, 
oy resisting the work of the Lord. He was 
again thrown upon a sick bed, and his disease 
raged violently ; he sent for one of the conju- | 
rers or necromancers, hoping that he could \ 
remove the disease. The conjurer pow, \ 
wowed over him, but could effect no cure*— \ 



S6 

He then sent for James B. Finley, (who 
at this time was missionary at Sandusky,) 
wishing to try the efficacy of the white man's 
medicine 5 Mr. Finley went and administered 
such medicines to him as he judged most 
suitable, but all in vain ; the iron hand of 
death — stern death had laid hold of him, he 
must submit to the inflexible decree. During 
this time Stewart visited him, but it is not 
now known what conversation he had with 
him. He was surrounded by a large concourse 
of his friends and adherents during his illness, 
whom he amused occasionally with his sallies 
of wit and obscene jests 5 thus he continued 
to manifest a perfect indifference with regard 
to the affairs of his soul which was then hov- 
ering about the shores of eternity. Once, 
sometime before he expired, when in great 
agony, he was heard to say " If I should be 
permitted to hve a little longer, I would go 
to meeting." No further signs of repentance 
appeared; the closing scene came on, "death 
with all the sad variety of pain,*' extinguish- 
ed the vital spark, and he died, it is believed 
without once calling on the name of Jesus for 
mercv. 



ST 

About the time Duon-quot rose up in op« 
position to the progress of religion, an influ- 
ential person arose in defence of it ; this was 
Between-the-Logs, one of the principal coun- 
sellors of the nation, a man well known as an 
orator and a man of brilliant talents ; he had 
heretofore remained neutral, although an 
attentive hearer of Stewart's. By his activity, 
he succeeded in a great degree in counteract- 
ing the hostile and mischievous plans of Duon- 
quot. It should here be understood, that a 
Wyandott Chief by the nanje of Matthew^ 
Peacock, was the first Chief that was added 
as a seal to Stewart's ministry. Jt was in the 
latter part of the year 1819, that Moses Hen- 
kle. Sen. having been appointed missionary 
to aid the work among the Wyandotts, by 
visiting them once a month, and preach to 
and otherwise advise them in matters of interest 
to them, as well for the present life as that 
which is to come. His missionary labours 
continued for two years to the great satisfac- 
tion of the Christian part of the Wyandott 
people, during which time much good appear- 
ed to be done. Although the principal charge 



S8 

and care of this flock was now committed to 
Mr. Henkle, he appeared to consider himself 
only in the light of an assistant to that good 
man who under God, had commenced this 
good work. After Mr. Henkle began to 
labour in concert with Stewart, Between- 
the-Logs, Peacock f John Hicks and Manon- 
cue, that once violent enemy and opposer of 
religion, united themselves with those who 
were striving to serve the Lord and save their 
souls. Two-Logs, during the life-time of 
Duon-quot, continued hostile to the good 
cause ; he was much exasperated on hearing 
that his yqunger brother, Between-the-Logs, 
had embraced religion 5 he proceeded imme- 
diately to his house and made a most violent 
attack upon, abusing him for abandoning the 
religion and customs of their forefathers. 

It is perhaps worthy of remark, that some- 
time during the mission of Mr. Henkle, a 
certain woman who was inimical to Stewart 
and his doctrines, and a relation to the chief 
Duon-quot, (who was then yet living) was ac- 
cused of the crime of witchcraft; this occasion- 
ed considerable excitement among the people. 



69 

Mr. Henkie and Stewart laboured to convince 
thfiQ of the absurdity of their suspicions, this, 
however, was not easily accomplished, those 
suspicions became stronger and stronger, 
notwithstanding singular plans appear to have 
been resorted to by the accused to divert the 
public attention from the subject, which it is 
not deemed important to lay before the readero 
Some of the Chiefs, and especially her rela- 
tive Duon-quot, and Warpole, became fully 
satisfied of her guilt, and determined that she 
ought to die. When Stewart was informed 
of this, although he knew her to be his enemy, 
he lost no time, but hastened to place himself 
before those Chiefs to plead for her life. — 
However, at a time when no other Chiefs 
were present, Duon-quot ordered two young 
men to execute .her, which was promptly 
attended to. From that time to the present, 
there have been no disturbances among them 
of the same nature. 

In the fall of the year 1821, the Ohio Aa-^ 

nual Conference appointed James B. Finley, 

missionary, to proceed to Upper Sandusky> 

with liis family, work-hands, &C, to ei:pct 

8* 



m 

suitable buildings for the school, &;c. Pur- 
suant to his appointment, he without delay 
repaired to the place assigned him, and enter- 
ed upon the discharge of his duties. Here, 
Stewart's labours appear, after this arrange- 
ment, to be less conspicuous ; he continued 
to labour, inviting^ sinners to the Gospel feast. 
Mr. Finley had not many difficulties to en- 
counter in his labours among the Wyandotts; 
the great stone of opposition to religion was 
less formidable ; much good seed had been 
sown by the preaching of Stewart, and by the 
labours of several of the local preachers that 
visited them before the mission was establish- 
ed; at this time much of the seed began 
to discover signs of successful vegetation.— 
All that was now wanting was the doors of 
the visible church to be thrown open, and the 
invitation given ; a large number was ready 
and willing to come in, some sound converts 
ready to come and shout glory to God in the 
highest, and some true penitents ready to come 
in and fall at the altar and cry, " God be merci- 
ful to me a sinner." From this time, the work 
went on in a most prosperous manner; classes 



91 

were formed in diffirent directions, composed 
entirely of Wyandott converts. In the fall of 
1823, Stewart enjoyed but poor health; not- 
withstanding this he ceased not to labour for 
the salvation of his poor fellow men, " in sea- 
son and out of season." It was in the month 
of August that his indisposition commenced, 
but had some intermissions, so that he was 
enabled occasionally to preach. In Septem- 
ber his disease grew worse ; he suffered much, 
but not a murmur or complaint escaped him. 
His complaint continued but with little inter- 
mission, until the second Sabbath in Decem- 
ber, when he began to suspect his time of 
sojourning below was but short. A day or 
two previous, Mr. Finley, Manoncue and 
Jonathan, (the latter for Interpreter,) set out 
to visit a Wyandott settlement in the province 
of Upper Canada ; Manoncue and Jonathan 
called to see him before they set out on their 
journey, suspecting they should see his face 
no more in this world ; after some conversa- 
tion, Manoncue proposed prayer, which was 
readily agreed to; Manoncue then kneeled 
down by the bed-side, and poured out his 



9^ 

soul to God on behalf of his afflicted friend. 
After some further conversation, they took an 
afiectionate farewell of him, when he said to 
Jonathan, "tell Mr. Finley for me, to be 
faithful and meet me in glory." On the 14th 
he found a great change in his complaint. — 
On Monday the 15th, he was perfectly speech- 
less, and remained in that condition until 
Tuesday. All this time his soul appeared 
to be engaged with God. On Tuesday morn- 
ing he informed his wife that the time of his 
departure was at hand ; he rose up in his bed 
and informed those present that he was going 
to die, and exhorted them to seek the Lord 
for mercy and salvation ; he told them that 
his peace was made, and he was going to 
enjoy that rest which remaineth for the people 
of God. Through the day he was as before, 
speechless ; that night he was quite restless, 
and seemed to suffer much with pains in his 
back. Wednesday morning he was in the 
same situation, still unable to speak. While 
his wife was busied in attending on him, he 
appeared to manifest a wish to speak to her, 
she asked him what he wanted to say ? He 



93 

then took her by the hand and faintly articii= 
lated, ^^ivife, he faithful"^'' these were his 
last words ; he died at twelve o'clock on that 
day, being in the thirty-seventh year of his 
age, and the seventh year of his ministry. 

It is to be observed, that although Stewart's 
wife, when he married her in the winter of 
1818, was quite an intelligent young woman, 
yet she was not religious ; through the instru- 
mentality, however, of her pious husband, it 
is believed she became a subject of saving 
grace. 

It may here be noticed, as it has not been 
done sooner, that Two-Logs, a Chief men- 
tioned in the former part of this narrative, as 
being a great opposer, in the midst of his 
opposition was arrested by the hand of afflic- 
tion, and brought to languish on a sick bed ; 
this brought him to serious reflection; he 
found that his fathers' religion would not sus- 
tain him in a dying hour ; he then resolved 
that if the Lord would spare his life, he would 
turn and seek salvation. He was restored to 
health, and became an humble, docile, and 
devout Christian, and died in peace. 



u 

Rise, ye heralds of salvation, 

Blow the Gospel-trumpet, blow ; 
Go to ev'ry tribe and nation, 

Hear ! your Master bids you go. 
Hark ! his word, his Spirit urges, 

Count no enterprise too hard, 
Dauntless cross the mountain surges, 

Christ himself will be your gaurd. 
God protects, what pow'r can harm you ? 

Winds and seas obe}"- his power ; 
What threatening evil shall alarm you, 

Or what furious foe devour ? 
Quit no duty, fear no danger. 

Go to all the fallen race, 
Say to every outcast stranger. 

Ye may now be saved by grace. 
Go, with heav'nly ardour burning, 

Bright with Christ's transmitted rays, 
Comfort those in darkness mourning, 

Turn their sighs to songs of praise. 
Bear his cross, which is your glory, 

Spread your Master's glorious fame ; 
Tell his crucifixion story. 

Tell the world his wond'rous name. 
Idols then shall fall like Dagon, 

Heathen darkness flee away ; 
Every poor benighted pagan. 

See the light of glorious day. 
Deserts shall rejoice with singing, 

Lonely wastes shall lift their voiqe* 



95 

JSarren wilds with verdure springing, 

Bloom a fruitful paradise. 
Sing, ye saints, a day of gladness 

Dawns already from on high, 
Put on joy for sable sadness, 

Wipe the tear, repress the sigh. 
Soon will Zion's King descending, 

Cloth'd in regal robes appear, 
Earth shall, to his sceptre bending, 

Hail the great millenial year. 



ON ETBR»rXTV. 

Mourning and drooping here I lie. 

Upon this earthly clod ; 
While heavenly things invite my eyes^ 

And bring me to my God. 
Transported with a joyful view. 

Of God's eternal love, 
Unto this world I bid adieu, 

And long to be above. 
AVhere all the saints in harmony, 

Their Saviour's praise declare, 
In that bright realm of endless day. 

There's not one mourner there. 
When they've been there ten thousand years. 

Bright shining as the sun, 
There's no less days to sing God's praise. 

Than when they first begun. 
And then as many years should pass^ 

As sands upon the shore, 



96 



The saints above would have no fear. 
That the blest space is o'er. 

If all the drops in ocean's wide. 

Were to be numbered o'er, 
And then by millions multiplied, 

And twice as many more. 
And then as many years should pass, 

As water drops in all, 
Or grains of sand, or spires of grass, 

Upon this earthly ball. 
And then as many millions more, 

As stars that fill the sky ; 
Then all that number doubled o'er. 

Can't meet ETERNITY. 

Eternity will still remain, 

'Twill be Eternity ; 
The song to Christ, who once was slain, 

Will last eternally. 
Amen ! they cry, Amen, Amen, 

Thy ways, O God ! are true ; 
Honour and power and glory then, 

Thanksgiving is thy due. 

Honour and power and endless might, 

Be given to the Lord ; 
In this sweet song they'll all unite, 

And sing with one accord. 
Who can describe that blessedness, 

Of pleasures ever new ; 
I long that glory to possess, 

And bid all sin adieiu 



e''i 






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